COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.—Agriculture officials say a southern Colorado man under investigation for his handling of protected wild horses has acknowledged shipping animals out of the state in violation of brand inspection laws.

The Gazette reports ( http://bit.ly/SBbQe2) the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Brand Inspection Division has turned 64-year-old Tom Davis’ case over to the district attorney in Alamosa for prosecution.

Davis, a livestock hauler and proponent of the horse meat industry, has purchased more than 1,700 wild horses from the federal Bureau of Land Management since 2008—roughly 70 percent of all horses sold by the agency.

Colorado Brand Commissioner Chris Whitney says Davis acknowledged shipping horses out of the state without the required inspections.

Davis, who agreed not to sell any of the horses to slaughter, says he has lived up to his contracts.

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